NEW DELHI: Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, CP Radhakrishnan, on Sunday hailed the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) as the “guardian of the public purse,” emphasising its crucial role in safeguarding public funds and promoting good governance. He also praised the CAG’s 165-year legacy of dedicated service since the establishment of the office of the Auditor General in 1860.
Presiding over the 5th Audit Diwas celebrations in New Delhi as chief guest, the VP also remarked, “Supreme Audit Institutions across the world share one common purpose: to protect public money and promote good governance. Among them, the CAG of India stands proudly, upholding the principles of accountability, transparency, and integrity in public life”.
He further described the CAG’s reports as factual, evidence-based, and central to the ‘moral wealth’ of Bharat. Radhakrishnan commended the CAG for introducing “One Nation, One Set of Object
Heads of Expenditure” for both Union and State Governments — a reform that will significantly improve transparency and comparability in government spending.
Highlighting India’s progress in AI, big data, blockchain, and machine learning, the Vice-President expressed satisfaction that the CAG, through initiatives such as the One Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IAAD) One System, AI-based audit frameworks, and several other measures, has incorporated technology, predictive analytics, and generative AI into the core of public financial management.